Simply known as the “Blue Pond,” the beautiful body of water in the town of Biei in Hokkaido, Japan seems to change colors right before visitors' eyes. Depending on how the light falls, or in Japanese photographer Kent Shiraishi's opinion, “because of the weather,” the picturesque pond can be a breathtaking turquoise blue color or a stunning emerald green.
In the months of October and November this year, Shiraishi captured these shots of the green pond with snow covered trees rising out of it. The artificial pond was created as part of an erosion control system that was built to prevent damage to Biei in case of an eruption by nearby Mount Tokachidake. The blue color of the pond, for which it is known, has not been fully explained but is attributed to the presence of aluminum hydroxide in the water that reflects the shorter wavelength blue light the same way the earth's atmosphere does. What a dreamy spot for photographers.
